Text/Editor: Ah Jiu
Since ancient times, the role of "envoy" has always carried the great mission of establishing peace, friendship and diplomatic relations between the two countries.
In most people's minds, the messenger represents the face of a country, so this role must be "in a suit and leather shoes, and polite" in the eyes of most people.
But at the beginning of New China, there was an envoy who was unkempt, drank rainwater, ate wild vegetables that he had worked hard to grow in the field, and even his closest companion was a stray dog.
He was stationed alone in a foreign country for three years, and was affectionately called "the loneliest diplomat in history" by his countrymen.
Wu Zhonghua's path to becoming a diplomat is walking on thin ice, but it is precisely because of the difficulties that his gains are even more valuable. It is precisely because of his standing up that China can become a diplomatic power that is truly at the forefront of the world.
He was ordered to go to Kiribati
In 1989, China was suffering from an enemy on the diplomatic front, and Western countries, led by the United States, isolated China diplomatically.
At that time, Kiribati had just been established for ten years, and its economic and international status was very unstable. However, China still chose to get in touch with Kiribati as soon as possible and expressed its willingness to establish friendly diplomatic relations.
After learning that the Chinese government had made contact with Kiribati, the Taiwan Province began to make a move, and in order to prevent China from successfully establishing diplomatic relations with Kiribati, it flew directly to Kiribati and promised to give Kiribati two planes as a meeting gift, and the only requirement was that Kiribati refused to establish friendly ties with China.
Faced with such a temptation, it was difficult for the Kiribati government not to be moved, so it agreed to this unreasonable demand.
Prior to this, Kiribati had reached an agreement with China to build an embassy in Kiribati, an island nation, but now Kiribati's sudden turn of face has made the Chinese government realize that the situation cannot wait for a moment.
At that time, the important task of negotiating with Kiribati fell to Wu Zhonghua, who was busy running between Fiji, Vanuatu and other countries the day before receiving the news.
When he learned the importance of this news, Wu Zhonghua did not dare to delay for a moment, and immediately applied to the motherland to take a plane to Kiribati.
In Kiribati, Wu Zhonghua and the other side's sub-negotiators worked for three months, during which Kiribati's attitude has always been very biased towards Taiwan Province, and the "bribes" of the two planes are really too rare for a backward island country like Kiribati.
However, in Wu Zhonghua's view, all this will definitely be realized for Kiribati in the near future. Thanks to Wu Zhonghua's efforts, Kiribati finally chose to give up the temptation of Taiwan Province and believe in New China.
But this alone is far from enough, the construction of the embassy is a top priority for New China and Kiribati.
If this matter cannot be completed in one day, there will be no fundamental guarantee for New China's attitude towards Kiribati.
One person holds up an embassy
In 1990, Wu Zhonghua took the great mission of establishing diplomatic relations with China and became the only Chinese in the island country of Kiribati.
Before living here for a long time, Wu Zhonghua had learned about this small island country. Kiribati is one of the least developed countries in the Pacific, and the quality of life here is so poor that there is not even a decent house.
The land is completely isolated from the sea, and the scarcity of land dooms Kiribati to the current situation of scarcity. The houses here are almost all thatched, and it is very difficult for the people to build a house between the sea and the soil.
Such a geographical environment has made it difficult for Wu Zhonghua for a long time, and it is simply difficult to find a suitable place to build an embassy in this pile of thatched houses.
No matter how difficult it is, Wu Zhonghua can only bite the bullet. After some investigation of the local environment, Wu Zhonghua was still unable to determine where the specific location of the embassy was better.
Fortunately, when Wu Zhonghua came to Kiribati on business, he had a deep friendship with a local policeman, and after the analysis of the locals, Wu Zhonghua finally selected a small thatched house in a pile of thatched houses.
"This must be the most humble embassy in China. Looking at the empty house in front of him, Wu Zhonghua couldn't help but feel sour, at this moment he was alone in a foreign country, what he saw was not the barrenness of life in front of him, but the future of New China.
In order to make this embassy look more formal, Wu Zhonghua specially selected a few tables and chairs that looked neat and clean and placed inside, although the conditions were very simple, but the equipment that should be there was basically complete.
In any case, the establishment of the embassy is a major event in the history of the two countries, and the ceremonies that should be there are no less.
In order to make the welcome party more decent, Wu Zhonghua also installed a communication system for the embassy. At that time, he didn't have anyone around him who could call on him, and he had to do everything by himself.
In order to facilitate the follow-up work of the embassy, Wu Zhonghua not only placed a telephone, but also bought a car. Even the invitations to the welcome party were carefully prepared, and even the banquet was set up several tables.
Surrounded by the sea and starved of food, it's almost a gastronomic desert. In order to make the guests present feel sincere, Wu Zhonghua brought his own liquor, canned food, etc. from China, with local seafood, and put together a table full of sincerity!
On the day of the welcome party, every Kiribati official was smiling, and the president and his wife were full of praise for the food from China.
The president of Kiribati and other officials paid special tribute to the ambassador from afar, and everyone applauded him sincerely.
After feeling the kindness from Kiribati, Wu Zhonghua's heart was filled with joy. In any case, the task entrusted to him by the Motherland has finally come to an end.
It's a pity that the good times didn't last long, not long after Wu Zhonghua just transmitted the news of the completion of the embassy back to his motherland, Wu Zhonghua was surrounded by a group of police officers who suddenly appeared, and at this time, the noisy sound outside made Wu Zhonghua realize that something big seemed to be about to happen.
Sure enough, through communication, Wu Zhonghua learned that there was a World War II-era bomb buried in the ground near the embassy, weighing 500 pounds, and this bomb could be detonated at any time. The only way to avoid casualties is to abandon this place and retreat immediately.
Wu Zhonghua did not hesitate for the slightest time, and in just one week he experienced the construction of the embassy and its abandonment. At this time, he had to start the difficult second construction task with the task of the motherland, but fortunately, the construction of the museum was very smooth this time.
But this is only the beginning of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Kiribati, and if peace is to be perpetuated, it is necessary to have someone stationed at the embassy to handle the busy affairs of the two countries. There is no doubt that the most suitable person at this time is Wu Zhonghua.
The "loneliest" ambassador
For the great cause of the motherland, Wu Zhonghua chose to stay in Kiribati, a backward and poor country. But he never thought that this stay would last for three whole years, but he never regretted it, never complained, and only had the country's diplomatic mission in his heart!
In addition to the burden of work, overcoming psychological loneliness was also a major difficulty encountered by Ambassador Wu Zhonghua during his life alone in Kiribati.
Kiribati's Xi are far from China's, and the soil is hardly suitable for growing any food.
Except for the coconut palms, there are no fruits and vegetables to be seen here. Only when the merchant ship docked on the shore could Wu Zhonghua get a little bit of supplies.
But this still could not guarantee his normal survival in Kiribati, in order to feed himself, Wu Zhonghua could only dig some wild vegetables.
Fresh water resources are also extremely scarce, and in order to survive, Wu Zhonghua has to rely on storing rainwater every time it rains and filtering it and drinking it, as is the case in the local situation.
After living here for a period of time, Wu Zhonghua's Chinese stomach was seriously injured, but the task of the motherland continued, he did not complain at all, shouted bitterness, and he only had the joy of being one step closer to the goal.
In this way, he slowly Xi got used to such hard days, and in these days on the isolated island, Wu Zhonghua's closest partner was "Jinwa". It was a puppy he had adopted, and it was also Wu Zhonghua's best friend on the island.
In this barren country, Wu Zhonghua experienced the most difficult period of his life. But here he also gained infinite emotion and achievement.
July 12 is Kiribati's National Day, a few days before Kiribati's National Day that year, Wu Zhonghua heard the long-lost "March of the Volunteers", and when the song was played, Wu Zhonghua couldn't help but wet his eyes.
The members of the band told Wu Zhonghua that the National Day would be in a few days, and that they would invite every embassy envoy to the stage, and when they took the stage, the national anthem belonging to their country would be played. Listening to the stumbling language of the singers, Wu Zhonghua's heart was full of emotion.
In order to help them better complete the performance, Wu Zhonghua immediately ran back to the embassy to pick up a pen and paper, and a score was completed in a few minutes. He gathered with the police and singers in Kiribati to tell them the story behind the national anthem, and the group sang a few words, chatted a few words, and from time to time the sound of laughter could be heard, and at the moment they were like a family.
A few days later, when Wu Zhonghua took the stage, the familiar national anthem sounded, and Wu Zhonghua still couldn't help but shed tears. At this moment, Wu Zhonghua felt that he was no longer a person, and behind him was China, thousands of compatriots thousands of miles away.
To make the embassy look more formal, Wu Zhonghua also spent three full months making a five-star red flag. When the red flag was raised in the air, Wu Zhonghua's inner pride arose.
On August 31, 1992, Wu Zhonghua's mission was successful. The moment he stepped on the plane back home, his heart was suddenly full of reluctance, whether it was the "golden baby" or the "compatriots" who had sung the national anthem together, Wu Zhonghua's heart was full of sourness at this moment, just like the day he left China.
Every vote cast for China at an international conference is likely to be paid by a diplomat at the risk of his life. Our happy life now is the country that every national hero has laid and guarded for us!
With his loyalty and sacrifice, he demonstrated the noble character and selfless spirit of Chinese diplomats, and left a strong mark on China's diplomatic history.
He is China's "loneliest" ambassador - Wu Zhonghua!